The present invention relates to speech recognition applications such as a voice dialer applications. More particularly, the present invention relates to a speech recognition application using iterative recognition constraints.
Speech recognition applications, such as voice dialers, receive an input utterance that is processed by a speech recognition module to output an N-Best list based upon grammars corresponding to records in a database or directory. The voice dialer application selects one or more of the entries or names in the N-Best list, typically the highest scoring entry, and requests confirmation from the user that the identified name is correct.
Because speech recognition is imperfect, the identified name will often be incorrect. If the user indicates that the name is incorrect, prior art systems ask the user to repeat the name. The prior art systems then perform recognition using the new utterance.
Such systems can be annoying to the user because they can repeatedly identify the wrong person. As such, a system is needed that reduces the burden on the user if the first attempt at recognition fails.